Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

noddy

/ˈnɑdi/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.22 in modern English

Syllables
nod-dy
IPA
/ˈnɑdi/
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A silly or stupid person; a fool, an idiot.

Archaic; Countable

noun

In full knave noddy: the jack or knave playing card.

Countable

noun

In full noddy-fifteen: a certain card game related to cribbage.

Uncountable

noun

In full noddy-fifteen: a certain card game related to cribbage.

Countable; Obsolete; Slang; Uncountable

adj

Foolish, silly, stupid.

verb

Synonym of noddify (“to make (someone) into a noddy (noun etymology 1, noun sense 1), to make a fool of”)

Obsolete; Transitive verb

noun

Any of several stout-bodied, gregarious terns of the genus Anous found in tropical seas, especially the brown noddy or common noddy (Anous stolidus).

noun

A small two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Noun etymology 1 sense 1 is possibly from nod (“to incline the head up and down; to gradually fall asleep”) + -y (suffix forming diminutive nouns or familiar names); or a shortening of noddypoll, an obsolete alteration of hoddypoll (“fumbling, inept person”). The origin of noun etymology 1 sense 2 is uncertain; it is possibly derived from etymology 1 sense 1. Compare muggins (“fool, idiot; card game based on building in suits or matching exposed cards, the object being to get rid of one’s cards”). The origin of the adjective is uncertain; it is possibly also from nod (verb) + -y (suffix meaning ‘of or relating to’ forming adjectives). The verb is derived from noun etymology 1 sense 1.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈnɑdi/
  • British English: /ˈnɒdi/

Usage

Inflected Forms

noddies (plural) more noddy (comparative) most noddy (superlative) noddies (present, singular) noddying (participle, present) noddied (participle, past) noddied (past)

Derived Forms

nod noddify noddypoop noddyship supernodical supernodify

Phrases

hoddy-noddy niddy-noddy poop-noddy

Synonyms

addle-brain addlehead addle pate airhead baboon beanbrain beetlebrain beetlehead berk bimbo birdbrain blockhead

Homonyms

knotty naughty (cot–caught merger, flapping)

Rhymes With

body embody shoddy bodhi waddy squaddie

Questions

How do you pronounce noddy?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈnɑdi/.
What does noddy mean?
A silly or stupid person; a fool, an idiot.
Where does noddy come from?
Noun etymology 1 sense 1 is possibly from nod (“to incline the head up and down; to gradually fall asleep”) + -y (suffix forming diminutive nouns or familiar names); or a shortening of noddypoll, an obsolete alteration of hoddypoll (“fumbling, inept person”). The origin of noun etymology 1 sense 2 is uncertain; it is possibly derived from etymology 1 sense 1. Compare muggins (“fool, idiot; card game based on building in suits or matching exposed cards, the object being to get rid of one’s cards”). The origin of the adjective is uncertain; it is possibly also from nod (verb) + -y (suffix meaning ‘of or relating to’ forming adjectives). The verb is derived from noun etymology 1 sense 1.

How to pronounce noddy

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “noddy”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈnɑdi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “noddy”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “noddy” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.